Find care near me Key Points
- Dental veneers are custom-made shells used to improve the appearance of teeth, often used for issues like discoloration, chipping, gaps, wear, misshapenness, and misalignment.
- Veneers are typically made from porcelain or composite resin, which are stain-resistant and resemble natural teeth.
- Despite their benefits, veneers come with risks such as increased tooth sensitivity and potential for chipping or breaking.
- The color of veneers cannot be altered with whitening treatments, and they generally need to be replaced every 7 to 15 years.
- Good oral hygiene can help extend the lifespan of veneers, and it's important to discuss with a dentist about their care, lifespan, and replacement frequency.
6 Reasons You Would Need Veneers
1. Tooth Discoloration
Veneers can cover parts of teeth or whole teeth that have been stained or discolored due to factors such as aging, smoking, chewing tobacco, and consuming coffee, soda, wine, and teeth-staining foods. You may need veneers if dental or at-home whitening treatments fail to whiten and improve the color of your teeth.[1]
2. Chipped or Broken Teeth
Veneers can be used to fill in chips and broken parts of one or more teeth. A tooth can become chipped or broken for many reasons including car accidents, falling down, grinding teeth, getting into fights, playing rough contact sports like football and hockey, and biting into hard foods like nuts and candy. [2] Risk factors for chipped teeth include tooth decay, acid reflux, a high-sugar diet, and high intake of acid-producing foods.
3. Tooth Gaps
Veneers can help close and narrow gaps between teeth to make smiles and teeth more aesthetically pleasing. Veneers are often placed over existing teeth to make them wider and reduce the appearance of tooth gaps.[3]
4. Worn Down Teeth
Veneers can repair teeth that have been worn down due to factors such as frequent vomiting, acid reflux, abuse of stimulant drugs, teeth grinding and clenching, and high intake of sugary and acidic foods and drinks. Veneers are thin layers of material that can thicken and enlarge smaller, worn-down teeth.[4]
5. Misshapen Teeth
Veneers can improve the appearance of teeth that are abnormally or irregularly shaped. Teeth can often become misshapen due to certain types of diseases such as cerebral palsy, congenital syphilis, and immune deficiencies that affect the development of teeth such as ectodermal dysplasia.[5]
6. Misaligned or Uneven Teeth
Teeth that are misaligned or uneven due to factors such as crowding of teeth, genetics, and jaw cancer can be treated using veneers that make them look straighter and more aesthetically pleasing.[6] Veneers may be an ideal option for misaligned or uneven teeth when orthodontic devices like braces fail to properly align and straighten teeth.
Understanding Veneers
Veneers are thin, custom-made shells that fit over teeth to improve the appearance of teeth that are discolored, chipped, broken, misshapen, misaligned, and worn down. Veneers can also fill in gaps between teeth, and help uneven teeth look straighter. These shells can be bonded directly to the front of teeth to change their length, size, color, and shape to help make teeth and smiles more aesthetically pleasing.
Veneers are usually made from porcelain or composite resin materials that resist stains and that closely resemble natural teeth. Dentists who practice cosmetic dentistry will take an impression of your teeth and send the impression to a lab where veneers are created, which can take anywhere between 2 and 4 weeks.[7] Once the veneers are ready the dentist will bond the veneers directly to your teeth using special cement. There is no downtime associated with veneers treatment.
Risks of Veneers
People who get veneers may be at increased risk for tooth sensitivity when consuming hot or cold foods and beverages. Before bonding veneers to teeth, dentists must remove a few layers of enamel so the cement can properly adhere to teeth. This results in nerves being placed closer to the tooth’s surface, and also makes veneers treatment irreversible since enamel is necessary for protecting teeth.[8] Removing veneers can increase the risk for discoloration, heightened sensitivity, tooth decay, fractured teeth, and teeth that are translucent, clear, or rough in some spots.
Veneers can chip and break just like regular teeth and may need to be replaced when these events occur; they are also susceptible to decay and may fall off when eating hard foods like ice and candy, or when biting into objects like nails and pencils. The color of veneers often cannot be altered or changed with whitening treatments and may be slightly different in color compared to the rest of your teeth.
What to Expect with Veneers
Veneers may need to be replaced every 7 to 15 years, but brushing, flossing, and receiving routine professional cleanings may help extend the life of your veneers.[7] Most veneers are stain resistant and can make your smile look brighter as long as you consistently practice good oral hygiene. However, you may want to avoid or limit the intake of foods and beverages that can stain parts of teeth or whole teeth that are not covered by veneers.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Veneers
- How long will my veneers last?
- How often do I need to replace my veneers?
- Are there certain foods or drinks I should avoid with veneers?
- Will my veneers look natural?
- Can my veneers be made to match the colors of my other teeth?
- Will my veneers treatment be painful?
- Am I an ideal candidate for veneers?
- How long will it take for you to place the veneers on my teeth?
- How should I care for my veneers?
- Should I choose porcelain veneers or composite resin veneers?
Veneers May Also be Known as:
- Porcelain veneers
- Composite resin veneers
- Laminate veneers
- Dental veneers
- Instant veneers
- Removable veneers
References
Frequently asked questions
What are dental veneers used for?
Dental veneers are used to improve the appearance of teeth that are discolored, chipped, have gaps, are worn down, misshapen, or misaligned.What are veneers made from?
Veneers are typically made from porcelain or composite resin materials. These materials are chosen because they resist stains and closely resemble natural teeth.Are there any risks associated with dental veneers?
Yes, there are risks associated with veneers. These include increased tooth sensitivity and the potential for the veneers to chip or break.Can the color of dental veneers be changed with whitening treatments?
No, the color of veneers cannot be altered or changed with whitening treatments.How often do dental veneers need to be replaced?
Veneers usually need to be replaced every 7 to 15 years. However, good oral hygiene can help extend their lifespan.What questions should I ask my dentist about veneers?
You should ask your dentist about how long the veneers will last, how often they need to be replaced, and how to properly care for them.Can good oral hygiene extend the lifespan of veneers?
Yes, good oral hygiene can help extend the lifespan of veneers.Can veneers chip or break?
Yes, there's a risk that veneers can chip or break, which is why it's important to discuss care and maintenance with your dentist.
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